Bickason stilwell



shall be interspersed throughout the other UNTTE STATES RIOKASON STILWELL,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MATERIAL FOR FILLING MATTRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,036, dated February 10, 1885. Application filed May 12, 1984. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICKASON STILWELL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Materials for Filling Mattresses, Pillows, Beds, and for other like purposes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises a new article of manufacture or composition of matter intended 'for filling mattresses, pillows, beds, and for other like purposesas, for example, the topping (so called) of mattressesthe said article combining to an unusual and most advantageous degree the advantages of cheap-. ness, durability, and elasticity. The said new article of manufacture or composition of matter is composed of shoddy and a fiber con1- monly known in the trade as cats-tail, and which is obtained from the spikes of the common catstail flag, so termed, the combination of these substances producing an article having the useful characteristics hereinbefore indicated. In the production of the said article of manufacture or composition of matter I mingle the two materialsthat is to say, the shoddy and the cats-tail fiberin any suitable proportions, taking care that-the one with substantial uniformitythat is to say, in such manner that the extremely light character of the cats-tail fiber shall be counterbalanced to the requisite degree by the extremely heavy character of the shoddy. This may be done by any suitable meansas, for example, by passing the two substances betoothed concave suitably adjusted thereto, such apparatus being similar to that ordinarily used in separating or loosening curled hair. The materials may also be mingled by the use of an ordinary carding apparatus.

It is to be understood that the cats-tail fiber by itself is extremely light and elastic, but of a comparatively unsubstantial character as 1 concerns its resistance to pressure, and that shoddy is,on the other hand,extremely heavy, deficient in elasticity, and liable to closely mat or pack into a dense layer unfitted for any except the inferior classes of work known in the trade.

By commingling the two materials as herein set forth the dense or heavy character of the shoddy counteracts the extreme lightness of the cats-tail fiber, while, on theother hand, the light and elastic character of the cats-tail fiber counteracts the tendency of the shoddy to mat together, so that the conjunction of the two materials as aforesaid provides a new material especially fitted for the purpose of filling up beds, mattresses, pillows, and the like, possessing advantages not existing in either of the component parts by itself, and devoid of the defects and drawbacks in practical use experienced with the component parts when used separately, the said material being, furthermore, capable of production at a much less price than any other filling for mattresses, pillows, beds, and the like possessed ofequivalent elasticity and durability heretofore known in the trade. I

In the manufacture of my improved article of manufacture or composition of matter as aforesaid the proportions of the two component parts may be varied within-very wide limits; but ordinarily the proportion of one pound of shoddy to two pounds ofthe cats-tail fiber will be found productive of the best results for the purpose of filling for beds, mattresses, pillows, and the like.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is A new article of manufacture or composition of matter composed of intermingled shoddy and cats-tail fiber, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

RIGKASON STILWVELL.

Vitnesses:

JOHN H. FISHER, ALB. TUcKELsToNE. 

